George “Trigger” Burke, Julius Erving, Loe Roe and now, finally, Al Skinner.

With former teammate Rick Pitino as the driving force behind it, Dr. J serving as master of ceremonies, and proud coach and mentor Jack Leaman watching proudly, the former UMass great finally had his night. Skinner was a three-time All-Yankee Conference performer who won a pair of league titles while calling Curry Hicks Cage home.

With 16 former teammates, family and friends among some of the 4,630 in attendance at the William D. Mullins Center, Skinner capped a memorable halftime ceremony by pulling a black cord extending from the rafters down to center court, unveiling his newly retired number 30 raised high above the playing surface of the building it will now forever call home.

Al Skinner was finally, and officially, welcomed home.

“Obviously I’m extremely happy about being here and being able to revisit UMass in a non-competitive situation,” Skinner said at an afternoon press conference yesterday before a dinner reception in his honor at the Cage. “I’m extremely pleased and excited about having this honor bestowed upon myself, and recognizing that this is the highest honor a student-athlete can receive at a university.”

For Skinner, who is described by all who know him as an even-keel, team-oriented individual with never the slightest inkling towards self-promotion, the retirement of his number is the culmination of an individual basketball career that began in inner-city New York, festered itself on this very campus, and now thrives amidst big-time college basketball two hours due east on Chestnut Hill.

But the former Atlantic 10, Big East and National Coach of the Year looked no further than his former teammates in sharing recognition from what was a truly memorable night.

“Obviously I’m in great company, I’m just glad that friends and family can be here to recognize this,” Skinner said. “I’m truly appreciative to the University of Massachusetts for the recognition, and again I hope my teammates take as much pleasure in this as I have, because in order for an individual to receive this kind of recognition, you had to have played on some great teams, and its an indication of an era, so I really hope that they too take tremendous satisfaction in what is happening this evening.”

One notable former teammate who was not present, however, was Louisville head coach Rick Pitino. Scheduled as the master of ceremonies – a role that was subsequently filled by Erving – Pitino was unable to attend due to basketball related matters in Louisville. However, Skinner remembered the legendary bench boss fondly, including Pitino’s relentless efforts over the past few years to make this event a reality for his friend and former courtmate.

“For [Pitino] to put forth the effort and feel so strongly about it along with my other teammates, its just an indication of how we felt about each other,” Skinner said. “The nice thing about it is its 30 years later and we’re still friends. I tell my guys all the time that these are the guys you will remember for a long time, they’re going to make an impact on what your future is going to be, so enjoy your teammates and enjoy your opportunity.”

“We did that and because of it we’re still friends today. That is something that is very dear to me, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have shared a career with such individuals and that we’re still friends today.”

So for Al Skinner, thirty years removed from the school and the campus he owned as a basketball star in the early 70’s, what does a remarkable night like this mean to the seasoned coach? Those who know him well say quite a lot.

“There’s no question about it, he is thrilled that the university would put such a tremendous program together in his honor,” Boston College play-by-play voice Ted Sarandis said. “He’s been talking about this for a long time.”

“It’s a special night for Al and no question a special night for UMass athletics. To be back here on campus and to be back here in Curry Hicks Cage where he had such a marvelous career, and to have Julius Erving alongside with him is something he’s been waiting a long time for.”

Now fully ingrained as a UMass legend, Skinner will return to Boston College and to coaching basketball two hours from his true round ball home. It will likely be a year before he will ever lay eyes on his banner again, and the fact that his next glimpse will accompany the emotions of a competitive basketball game when he brings his Eagles to Amherst for the next Commonwealth Classic will surely prevent him from truly enjoying what he accomplished to warrant such an honor.

But for one night and for one moment in time, Al Skinner received his due. In the building he once controlled the pulse of, and on the campus where he went from raw young boy to polished grown man, he was once again in the limelight of the program he helped raise from the ashes.

For the first time since he fired his last shot in Curry Hicks Cage, No. 30 was the reason those around UMass basketball stood and cheered.

Al Skinner had a night of his own here at UMass last evening, and it was long overdue.